Tennessee Onions Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do you use sweet onions in? ›

Sweet onions really are sweet! Recipes for sweet onion soups, grilled and fried sweet onions, Vidalia onion dips, casseroles, and side dishes take advantage of the special flavor of sweet onions.

The Vidalia is a type of sweet yellow onion. They're different from other types of yellow onions because of their high sugar content and low sulfur content. Most onions contain about 5 percent sugar, while Vidalias contain a whopping 12 percent.

Sweet onions have a low pyruvate level, which means they do not leave a lingering aftertaste and are less likely to make the chef cry when peeling them! They are great for slicing up and tossing in a salad or for adding to a favourite cheese sandwich.

Larger and slightly flatter than yellow onions (they look like they've been squashed), sweet onions contain extra sugar, making them good for caramelizing. Their larger size also make them perfect for making onion rings (my favorite diner dish by the way).

Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cipollini varieties are inherently sweet onions. These varieties have become extremely popular and for good reason. They are good cooked but they are very mild and are excellent eaten raw. These varieties of onion have a thinner husk and therefore don't store as well as wintering onions.

Vidalia Onions have developed an international reputation as the “world's sweetest onion.” Their mild flavor is due to the unique combination of soils and climate found in the 20 county production area. Through Federal regulation, the Vidalia Onion growers developed Federal Marketing Order No.

It's a matter of terroir, he explains. And the Walla Walla soil and growing conditions give that onion a more complex flavor profile "that tells you that this is an onion," he says. The Vidalia may be milder or sweeter, but to Dean, flavor makes the winner.

The key to preserving Vidalias is to keep them cool, dry, and separated. When stored properly, our Vidalias can last as long as 1-2 months on the counter, or 3-6 months when placed into refrigerator veggie bin (mentioned below).

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended. Squeeze out excess water before using.

Baking soda makes the onions more alkaline, which speeds up the browning reactions necessary for properly caramelized onions. But it also weakens the pectin that holds the onion's cells together, turning what should be soft but distinct pieces of browned onion into a nauseating stew of pea-green mush.

What type of onions are walla walla? ›

Walla Walla onions, botanically classified as Allium cepa, are one of the only non-hybrid, sweet onions that are members of the Amaryllidaceae family. Known as a long-day variety, Walla Walla onions are named for their specific growing region in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington in the pacific northwest.

There is often confusion about whether or not green onions and spring onions are the same thing, and this might stem from the fact that green onions are called spring onions in other countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom.

The city of Vidalia and the surrounding region in southeast Georgia are known the world over for growing the sweetest onions available, but did you know that the crop was originally a fluke?

The Vidalia sweet onion is not as acidic as its relatives, therefore making the taste mild and sweet. Because it is not as pungent in flavor, the Vidalia onion is a great nutrient-dense food to incorporate into the diets of both adults and kids alike.

Raw Vidalia onions are great on sandwiches, salmon burgers and with falafel, and can be put in a quick pickle to both preserve the onion and enhance the flavor. Vidalia onions also taste great roasted and caramelized, which brings out the vegetable's sweetness.

Morris suggests adding slices of raw sweet onion to salads, sandwiches, and dips, as well as piling them atop veggie burgers. “Cooking elevates the onion's natural sweetness,” he notes. Roast peeled sweet onions whole, or caramelize thinly sliced rings in a skillet with some brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.